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REPORT OF SDI VISIT TO ACCRA, GHANA 16TH TO 23RD FEBURARY

16 February

At about 19:00pm, SDI team comprising, Sheila Magara (Zim), Rose Molokoane and Evelyn Benekane (SA) arrived in Accra, Ghana.

17th ,18thand 19th February

SDI team had a meeting at PD Ghana office. The purpose of this meeting was to firm up a strategy to adopt during the visit.

Later in the afternoon the SDI team and Farouk visited Old Fadama - a squatter community of about 30,000 dwellers who are under the threat of force eviction. This visit was a site seeing one hence, no formal meeting was held with community members.We also visited Agbogbloshie market -one of the largest foodstuff market in Accra. Here you find thousands of female head porters (popularly referred to as Kayayoo in Ghana) Kayayoo’s are migrant workers from the northern part of Ghana who carry head pans which they used to cart foodstuff for people who come to shop at the market. Majority of this women live in Old Fadama and Agbogbloshie areas. As busy as these Kayayoos were,they still found time to listen to the SDI team talking about women Savings groups, daily savings, exchange and the federation process as we moved within the market.

We also visited another community called Agbogbloshie. It is another settlement with a mix of formal/property owners and squatters who live in unauthorized wooden structures. One striking feature of the area is the life and health threatening condition under which the residence live. I feel strongly that we could pilot an in situ slum upgrading in the area. The residence are willing to improve their living conditions, most of them have title to the land and above all are prepared to start savings in the coming days. PD to follow up.

One of the highpoints during the SDI visit was the joint strategic meeting Rose proposed. Forty six (46) participants were drawn from three low income communities in the Accra metropolis namely Avenor, Agbogbloshie and Old Fadama. It was remarkable to note that the Honorable assembly member (Elected Councilor) of Avenor took part in the meeting (positive). Avenor is another depressed community that has formed a savings group.

The meeting was, and later proved to be extremely useful. In my view it signify the real first attempt at building a federation of urban poor in Ghana. Participants were taking through daily saving, women active participating, dialogue, and exchange security of tenure and housing construction etc. The team as usual took turns to share their experience with participants. The meeting was so successful and participation was very strong. I feel that in future PD should organize more of such events. Members were charged to become foot solders to get the message across to their friends and families once home, a challenge they unanimously accepted.

The meeting was held in SSNIT Guest House and was brought to a joyous close over lunch and soft drinks. Participants no doubt left the meeting ground more committed, confident and full of hope.

I observed members smiling broadly and full of enthusiasm about the whole process as they board their buses back home.We also had a meeting with a group of market women who sell plantain in the Agbogbloshie market. As usual the team shared their experiences with the plantain sellers.Questions and concerns were similar to those expressed by previous groups i.e. when would members of the scheme enjoy the benefits of savings. The team dealt with this questions excellently.

20th, 21st and 22nd February.

We visited some residence of Old Fadama and also took the opportunity to do further site seeing of the general area of Old Fadama. Later in the afternoon we attended a Savings group meeting organized by the Avenor Saving group. It has a membership of 45. They are saving principally to improve upon their living conditions and physical environment. The team once again shared their experiences with members gathered and took them through the federation rituals. The presence and inputs of the SDI team was very important element for inspiring would-be-savers as it later turned out to be.

Later in the day we met a group of women numbering 30 at the Kokomba yam market where we introduced the federation process. The women committed themselves to start a saving group soon. PD Ghana to follow up.

On Sunday 22nd , as early as 06:15pm the team revisited old Fadama. This time the visit was to assist and ginger up Daily Savings collection culture of members of Tuntaiya. In the company of 4 other members of the savings group under the leadership of Rose, the team spent about 5 hours moving from door to door collecting savings while at the same time drawing new savers. The collecting exercise proved one thing, i.e. the community has a huge potential for a successful and vibrant collecting of money, people and information. The team collected a record level of ¢ 318,000 cedis in a day. This amount represented the highest amount ever collected in one day. What this revealed was that, the SDI presence can inspire and indeed inspired trust, confidence and hope in the existing and potential members. At the end of the collecting exercise, the grown become stronger and new members drawn into the savings group. Membership of Tuntaiya now stands at about 108 . Their total savings is one million nine hundred and ten thousand cedis (¢1,910,000).

Other small groups about eight (8) with average membership of about 15 have also been formed. All put together, there are about 200 people saving along the federation model in old fadama. The team left old fadama exhausted but happy and proud over their sterling achievements within such a short time.

Later in the Evening, we returned to Old fadama to participate in the group’s weekly meeting event. We were invited by the group to come and give solidarity talks and to particularly deepen members knowledge on federation rituals. It also afforded us another opportunity to text the strength and commitment of members of the group.

We arrived at the meeting around 20:20pm . Some few members had already gathered and they were struggling with a their Video equipment. Finally, SDI’ tape - “Collecting people, Collecting Money” was on the screen. Members of Tuntaiya had the opportunity to visualize members from other countries collecting savings and people. It was good. There were hundred (100) plus members of the savings group present at the meeting. Some key issue were that of leadership/ power struggles. Another issue was, when would members start seeing results. The SDI team took turns to deal with these somewhat contentious issues in a way that to many settled the dust (at least for now). The meeting closed at 22:30 pm . Members took the opportunity of to bid the team farewell and thanked the team for their continued interest and support to residents of old fadama.. Members assured the team of their commitment and zeal to become full-fledged SDI members. Members requested more of such visits and support.

23rd February

The SDI team and four (4) members of Tuntaiya savings group had a meeting with staff of Ashiedu Keteke sub – metropolitan Assembly. The meeting was held in the Office of the Chairman of the Sub Metro. In attendance were the Sub Metro Director, Hon. Samuel Tetteh- Chairman of the Sub Metro, and three other staff.

The purpose of this meeting was to informally introduce the SDI model and also to formally open space for further cooperation and partnership with the sub Metro. Ashiedu Keteke was chosen because it is one of the oldest and poorest districts throughout the country. Old Fadama, James Town, and old Ga townships are all in the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro. The existing housing stocks, infrastructure, and physical environment need urgent action. Majority of the urban poor and squatters live within the Ashiedu Keteke Sub - Metro Area. Clearly then, any serious attempt at tackling urban poverty, insecure tenancies and infrastructure development within the Accra Metropolis must start from within the Ashiedu Keteke sub-Metro area.

The Chairman of the Sub-Metro welcomed us and wanted to know our mission. Farouk, stated our mission as an introductory one meant to set the stage for a close, constructive and collaborative working relationship with the view to forging a partnership to address issues around poverty, homelessness and landlessness.

Rose, Sheela and Evelyn also took turns to explain and share their federation experiences. Rose, gave a thought provoking background to SDI’s contact with squatters at Old Fadama. Rose further tried to demonstrate how the SDI type intervention could contribute to addressing the major issues of insecure tenancy, poverty and precariousness under which these less fortunate urban dwellers live. Fuseini, a representative of Tuntaiya savings group from old fadama, also gave an overview of his savings scheme. He informed the meeting of the formation of Tuntaiya savings group and also how they are saving to address and/or contributing to address the daily struggles they face as urban poor ranging from insecure tenancies, homelessness, and social isolation.

This message sent a positive signal to the local authority that the squatters have themselves realized the need to help themselves and by so doing help the local authority and Government to improve upon their living standards and condition.

The metro Director on his and that of the sub metro’s behalf expressed his heartfelt gratitude to SDI and pledged their full support and cooperation to work with SDI, People’s Dialogue, Urban Poor, Savings Groups, Central Government and all development partners to find sustainable and large scale solutions to urban social and environmental challenges. The issues that come up in the meeting, in my view,was an admittance by both the residents and the local authorities that there was a need for a collective approach to tackling the grave social, economic and environmental problem facing the old fadama area and the city of Accra as a whole.

The sub metro team appeared poised for action and from my informed position, SDI and PD need to build the capacities of these staffs to be better able to play the new roles and functions they will be required to play within the larger scheme of things, such as the Dialogue, SDI, PD, Federation of urban poor, Government and city authorities. The meeting closed at about13:30pm after being served with chilled minerals by the host (Ashiedu Keteke sub metro).

Later in the evening,around 21:00pm the team was accompanied to the Kotoka International Airport for their departure.

Conclusion/ Recommendations
One important issue that kept cropping up during our discussions with the city authorities and the savings groups was the lack of accurate and in-depth information about the residents of old fadama. This information gap, to me is a strong pointer to the need for an Enumeration exercise to be carried out in old fadama within the next couple months.

One of the highpoints of the SDF visit was the joint Strategic Meeting we had at SSNIT Guest House. The 46 participants who were drawn from three different low income communities within the Accra metropolis showed strong commitment and zeal to carry the process forward. In my view, that occasion marked the Genesis of a Federation of Ghana Homeless People.

Most significantly, the team was able to handle most of the problem issues that was bordering the minds of both Savers and would –be-savers resulting in the formation of about 8 new savings groups during thee visit.

Generally, the visit was very successful and has proved to be very useful towards the formation and building of a vibrant Federation of urban poor in Ghana.

To the SDI team, I say, “AYEKOOOOO!” ( Meaning- Well DONE)

Prepared by: Farouk R. Braimah , PD,Ghana.